Ennis takes lead after first day of the heptathlon

Jessica Ennis smiles after winning her 100-meter hurdles heat of the Women's Heptathlon

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BRITAIN'S Jessica Ennis claimed a 25-point lead after two events of the heptathlon after a sensational performance in front of a massive crowd in the Olympic Stadium.

And Liverpool teenager Katarina Johnson-Thompson – tipped by Ennis to surpass her achievements – found herself in third place thanks to equalling her personal best in the 100m hurdles and setting a new PB of 1.89m in the high jump.

Only a handful of seats in the 80,000-capacity stadium were empty when Ennis broke the British record and smashed her personal best with an exhilarating run of 12.54 seconds in the hurdles. It was a time which gave American Dawn Harper Olympic gold in the individual event in Beijing.

The 26-year-old took 0.25secs off her PB and 0.02s off the previous national record set by hurdles specialist Tiffany Porter, while it was also the fastest hurdles time recorded in a heptathlon.

That gave Ennis an 11-point lead over Canada’s Jessica Zelinka which became a total of 2249 and 25-point lead over American Hyleas Fountain after the high jump.

Ennis cleared 1.86m and was close to also getting over 1.89m, a height that was recorded by team-mate Johnson-Thompson for a new personal best which left the 19-year-old – who ran 13.48 in the hurdles – third, 103 points behind Ennis.

Britain’s Louise Hazel was down in 37th after clearing just 1.59m in the high jump.

Ennis said: “I felt strangely calm beforehand. I’m normally quite nervous before the hurdles. Coming out to the stadium and seeing the crowd was an amazing feeling. It gives you goosebumps.

“I am still shocked at the hurdles time. I knew I was in good shape. If I had run 12.8 or 12.7 I would have been over the moon but 12.54? I can’t believe it.”

Ennis was entered into the individual event – which starts on Monday morning – as a back-up if anything went wrong in the heptathlon but remained uncertain as to whether she would double up.

She said: “I had done all the hard work and training but when you’re in this environment with the crowd and the nervous energy it just all comes into one.

“I’m a little disappointed with the high jump, I would have loved to get 1.89m but it was roughly what I jumped in Gotzis where I set my personal best so I am kind of round about the same mark.”

Johnson-Thompson admitted a faulty start in her hurdles heat had done her a favour after being taken aback by the rapturous reception from the crowd. She said: “It was surreal. I am really happy we had a faulty start as it took me time to reassess myself and focus instead of being overwhelmed by the crowd.”

Told she was in a bronze medal position she said: “That will soon change after the shot, don’t worry!”

There was more good news for Britain in the women’s triple jump, with 39-year-old Yamile Aldama reaching the final with her first jump in qualifying of 14.45m.

Defending Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, Shana Cox and Lee McConnell all advanced to the semi-finals of the 400m, while world champion Dai Greene, training partner Jack Green and European champion Rhys Williams eased into the next round of the 400m hurdles.

Greene qualified fourth fastest overall, with world No.1 Javier Culson of Puerto Rico quickest in 48.33. He said: “It was relatively easy. I struggle to get up for the heats usually so I just had to make sure I qualified as winner of my heat.”

Britain’s Alex Smith also made the final of the hammer but thought he was destined to miss out after finishing only 10th in the first qualifying pool.

Smith said: “It was just such a brilliant experience being out there, though I could have done better.

“But it was my first major championships and I am proud of what I’ve done.”

Only one man threw further than Smith in the second pool, meaning his best throw of 74.71m took him into the final as the 11th of 12 qualifiers.

There was disappointment for Carl Myerscough and Stuart Stokes in the shot and 3000m steeplechase as they bowed out of their respective competitions.

Myerscough, who was cleared to compete in London when the British Olympic Association’s lifetime ban on drugs cheats was overturned, was 29th in qualifying with a best of 18.95m.